Intel leads tech industry in crusade to eliminate conflict minerals

Four high-tech companies have established well-defined programs for cutting out tin, tungsten, tantalum and gold that could potentially be funding militia groups in the Congo. But other companies are behind.

But game technology company Nintendo gets called out for the opposite reason: it hasn't done anything about this yet, at least not publicly.

"HP and Intel have gone above and beyond the call of duty on conflict minerals," says Sash Lezhnev, an Enough Project analyst who co-authored the report. "It is now time to level the playing field for all companies, and the Securities and Exchange Commission has a key role to play in its upcoming vote on the rules for the conflict minerals law on August 22."

The Dodd-Frank act requires publicly traded companies to disclose sourcing of conflict minerals in their reporting; declaring whether their products contain components related to mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) or certain neighboring countries in Central Africa. Those minerals are often used to fund armed guerilla groups in the area, just like conflict diamonds.

The SEC is expected to make the requirements clearly after its discussion next week.

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